BJP’s Unlimited Money

What is the cost of democracy?

50 crore to each MLA and you’ll have the majority party.

Considering the allegations are true that BJP is poaching MLAs, RS.50 crore to 20 MLAs would mean RS.1000 crore ($14B USD). This is a very big number. Let’s not forget the statue of unity cost RS.3000 crore of taxpayer money. Adding these two, we get RS.4000 crore.

Heres some basic math:

The approximate number of people below the poverty line: 269 Million

Considering the average number of people per family is between 4-5, the number of families below the poverty line: 67 million

The minimum annual income required for a family to be above the poverty line: RS.11,000

Money needed to give RS.11,000 to 67M families: RS.747,00,00,00,000

Distributing the money directly wouldn’t have been wise. Instead, they could have gotten them jobs, they could have introduced numerous schemes with that much money. The money in question here is not entirely the governments’ money since it is a personal transaction, the government can not be questioned. But, how does a party which claims to have one and only purpose of serving the people get that kind of money? You might have seen parties lavishly spending money during the election season ( buying votes included), where do they get that much money? Electoral Bonds.

Electoral Bonds

An electoral bond is a non-redeemable debt instrument. It is a bearer banking instrument to be used for funding eligible parties. An eligible political party is one which is registered under the constitution and has secured not less than 1% of the votes polled in the last general election — parliament or assembly.

Here’s a snippet from an article from Business Insider:

ADR’s findings reveal that the scheme brought a windfall for the ruling BJP. According to audit reports and income tax reports submitted by parties to the Election Commission, the BJP has been the biggest beneficiary of electoral bonds, garnering 94.5% of the bonds worth around Rs 210 crore. Opposition parties like Congress, Trinamool Congress and CPI(M) are opposed to electoral bonds, alleging that it would benefit only the ruling BJP.

The BJP’s audit and income tax reports submitted to the Election Commission of India list voluntary contribution of “Rs 210,00,02,000 through electoral bonds.” Electoral bonds worth a total of Rs 222 crore were issued in the maiden tranche of the scheme in March 2018.

ADR’s report shows of the Rs 215 crore generated through the banking instruments in 2017-18, the ruling party secured Rs 210 crore and the opposition Congress Rs 5 crore.

BJP reportedly got “donations” worth RS.210 crore. Mind you,

• This party has 116 MLAs/MPs/Ministers with criminal charges.
• 43% of MPs have criminal charges
• 29% of MPs have serious criminal charges
• BJP is 56% of Lok Sabha

Now I leave the conclusion in your hands.

Did the nation choose a leader or a dictator?